Buried Sorrows
by Jessica C. Malfoy
Summary: All this time, Severus Snape has been coping with deaths that he should have stopped. Then, a single lie reveals the truth, and he didn't lose all that he thought he did.
1. We all learn.

Title: Buried Sorrows, 1/????  
  
Author: Jessica C. Malfoy  
  
Genre: General, Drama  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Main Character: Severus Snape  
  
  
  
A/N: Everything in Italics is part of a memory. Oh yes, thank you for reading this, for I am enjoying writing this one. ^_^ And yes, I am writing 'Nothing is Ever as it Seems', but some of the characters and I are having a bit of a go at each other, and these characters are easy enough to get along with. So, kick back, relax, and enjoy the fic.  
  
Disclaimer: Do I own the rights to HP? Do you want to buy them an give them to me? I don't own them, I only own Harry Potter merchandise which I'm almost going broke on buying them..Whoops.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Buried Sorrows  
  
  
  
Severus Snape looked at his reflection. He was defiantly not a morning person, for his eyes were out of focus, and add the fact that most of his harder and more dangerous ones were in the morning, did not aid the situation.  
  
"This year, then only 2 more years."  
  
"You're over the hump then, old boy," his reflection responded.  
  
"I am not that old, I'm still in my 30's."  
  
"You are defiantly not a person that enjoys the mornings. What I meant to say is that---"  
  
"I don't care what you meant to say, it's what you said!"  
  
"You're almost done with that lot. You've already handled them for 4 years, surely you can handle them for 3 more."  
  
"You're bloody annoying, do you know that?"  
  
"Really? I thought I was bloody handsome. I don't see why a chap like you is still single and living in this.pig sty."  
  
"Oh, you're one to talk." Snape muttered under his breath as he left the room, slamming the door behind him, and went to enter the Potions lab.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
The lab was similar to his classrooms, without desks, and more poisonous and deadly potions bubbling in cauldrons, that even Longbottom would have a time of trying to get it to melt.  
  
He invented that type of cauldron over the summer. Frustrated with having to clean up the poor remains of what used to be fine cauldrons, he had made it. It was quite similar to that stuff the muggles used to create the rails for the track, in fact; it had the same elements, just that it had a bit more magical fixing on it.  
  
It was quite simple really, and he was astonished that nobody had thought of it earlier, for it would have saved him many hours of cleaning up potions that Filch just refused to touch, even with, his 5 foot long magical broom and mop.  
  
Oh, how he hated these mornings. As if having them every day wasn't bad enough, but in the mornings, the 1st class of every single day, for a bloody hour, or sometimes more. It could drive you mad, easily.  
  
It wasn't the Slytherins that caused the trouble, oh no. They're angels compared to the bloody Gryffindors. Gryffindors, the brave ones, the ones that always cause up the trouble that draws everybody else into and thus getting everybody else in trouble.  
  
Snape sighed to himself, and looked at his watch. It looked like a simple enough watch on the outside, but inside, it was similar to a locket, only, not heart shaped, that is. It held a photo of what looked to be something that was old and faded. It didn't have creases, like, it was a precious jewel that had laid on velvet pillows in a glass display case at a palace, in its days of glory. But, the watch itself, the outside was plain silver, nothing special about it. Other then it had his name, Severus Snape engraved into it. The face of the watch was white, and had 2 crests of Hogwarts on it. Slytherin's and Ravenclaw's. He briefly smiled at the thought of all of the good memories that this watch represented, then, it faded as soon as it appeared.  
  
Footsteps. Footsteps that were approaching. Hurriedly, he put it back into his pocket and stared at the door. The door slowly turned only to reveal, Albus Dumbledore standing there, carrying a tray that contained a goblet and a plate that contained food.  
  
"Severus, you do need to remember to eat. The soul may be full but the body still requires some food."  
  
"I wasn't hungry this morning, Headmaster. Besides, I was preparing for another potion that I've created, and hope that it will work as it should."  
  
Dumbledore looked at Professor Snape, well, more like looked up, since Snape was a bit over 6'. He weakly smiled at the memory of a young Severus Snape, excelling at Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Professor Dumbledore! Professor Dumbledore!" A voice yelled down a corridor. A teenage boy was running down it, shouting, "Professor Dumbledore!", over and over again. He was a good size, around 6', shoulder length black hair, with books and papers sticking out of his over-sized book bag.  
  
An elderly wizard stopped and let the boy catch up, only for the boy to run into a pile of water and soak his robes.  
  
"Mr. Snape, you know better then to run down corridors, chasing after Professors. I wouldn't expect this out of you."  
  
"No, I mean, yes. I mean.I'm sorry, Professor it won't happen again, but I do need help."  
  
"You need help? Get some of your friends to help you, Mr. Snape."  
  
"Well, even they're struggling, sir."  
  
"Oh dear. What subject?"  
  
"Transfiguration."  
  
"That was my old subject. Is McGongall not doing a good job?"  
  
"She's doing fine, sir. But, I'm getting confused by the textbook that she suggested that I read, so that it'll become one of my best subjects."  
  
"Dear boy, you already have 2 of the hardest subjects as your best subject, why do you want another?"  
  
"I want to become an Animagus day, sir."  
  
"Well, I don't know what to say then. I've never had a student that wanted to do that and go to me for help. Quite a shock there, Snape. Well, what's throwing you off?"  
  
"It's the potion that is the start up one, that prepares your body for the 1st change. I can't understand it."  
  
"Is that all?"  
  
"Professor, even the Potions master won't help me brew it up. I reckon that she doesn't even know how to brew it. I mean, I'm the one that usually teaches the lesson, while she does something to her nails in her room."  
  
"Well, then you'll just have to be the Potions Master when she retires in the next couple of years then, won't you?"  
  
"Teacher? Me? Oh no, Professor. I'm not cut out for the teaching bit."  
  
"Well, if you don't think so, though, I'd say that you'd make an excellent Potions Master or a Defense Against the Dark Arts Specialist. Either one would suit you quite fine. What I don't understand is, why are you wanting to become one?"  
  
"Professor, you know about these times. They're dark and hardly anybody trusts everybody. Did you notice that the gossip about all the relationships have almost disappeared now?"  
  
"Well, I did notice it, and it was quite nice to be able to eat in almost silence."  
  
"Professor."  
  
"Well, yes, Severus, I do. Now, what's the real reason that you want to be able to change?"  
  
"Incase I get myself into a fix, I don't want to die, knowing that there is something out there that could help me."  
  
"That sounds like a good enough answer, but I'm afraid that I can't help you with this. Now, though they don't think I know about this, I do know some students that are that, and from what I hear, they're genuine."  
  
"Oh really? Who are they? Are they in my house?"  
  
"Well, close to your house. It's Mr. Potter and his gang."  
  
What little cheeriness that the younger Snape held for all that time, disappeared. "Potter? You know that they wouldn't help me, Professor."  
  
"Well, I'll have a chat with them, won't I now?"  
  
"Thank you, Professor."  
  
"Goodnight, Mr. Snape."  
  
  
  
Dumbledore looked at Severus, who was waving his big and scared hand in front of his face.  
  
"Headmaster, are you okay?"  
  
"Oh, yes, Severus. I sometimes just do that."  
  
"Yes, you do tend to go off like that, headmaster, at times."  
  
"Well, sometimes, memories can mirror the present and the future."  
  
"Headmaster, do you want to sit down or something?"  
  
"Oh no, Severus, I just came by to drop this off. I believe you have a class to deal with, soon. The 5th year Gryffindors and Slytherins, correct?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Well, I'll leave you to that," Dumbledore said as he set down the tray on an empty table and left the Potions Lab.  
  
Severus shook his head, as if trying to shake this chat out of his head and memory.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Some of the Gryffindor and Slytherin, well, almost all of the Slytherins, 5th years were sitting down in their seats, reviewing over their notes, perhaps, studying for one of Snape's pop quizzes that could happen today. (It was common knowledge that if Snape was in a foul mood, he would give the hardest quizzes, and then, not a single student was, well, safe)  
  
He walked in and sat at his desk, debating on when he should give the next quiz, for he already had it prepared. He always pre-pared quizzes after each lesson, in case of a foul mood that was around, he wouldn't have to waste any time in giving out the quiz.  
  
He glanced up, only 1 Gryffindor today, usually there was zero, but no, not today. Hermione Granger. Go figure. The bookworm, reviewing over her notes that she took from the book and from Snape's instructions and discussions.  
  
The usual Slytherins were in there. At the front, closest to his desk was Draco Malfoy, with Crabbe and Goyle to his right. Quite foolish, if you asked him. For one side is protected and the other one is out in the open, that is, if you didn't count Snape constantly walking by, no protection.  
  
As well as Draco, Blaise Zabini was also in there, a desk behind him, finishing up homework, as was Millicent. A couple other silent Slytherins were also scattered around the room, some were looking at the preserved parts, discussing what it belonged to originally, and the like.  
  
He chuckled to himself. It seemed like it was only yesterday that he was doing that, being a know-it-all and earning those A's. Then that bloody Potter came along and ruined everything.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
He had received an owl this morning, requesting that he go to Headmaster Dumbledore's office after lunch. He was excited; maybe he had finally beaten the facts through Potter and his gang's heads. A fear that he would love to try to accomplish.  
  
He went to the office, to see the distant look on the Headmaster's face.  
  
"Headmaster, are you alright?"  
  
"Mr. Snape, do take a seat. I imagine that you will need to be sitting down when I inform you on the latest news."  
  
"Does that mean it's really bad or excellent, sir?"  
  
"I can pretty much guarantee that it's not the most joyful news that I've been assigned to deliver to such a bright, hopeful and.powerful student of mine."  
  
Severus slowly took a seat and looked at Dumbledore, who was holding a letter, which looked like it had been opened. "I can take it, Headmaster."  
  
"Severus, you do know about the times, correct?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"About Voldermort," Severus shuddered, but Dumbledore went on without noticing nor hesitating, "and his followers, the Death Eaters?"  
  
"Yes, sir. I don't think that there is a wizard or witch that hasn't heard of that lot."  
  
"Well, they've.they've attacked your town. Snape, England. There isn't a witch or wizard that was found in the rubble, or alive that is. But, I've received this letter."  
  
Severus paled at the mention of that last statement. "..Letter?"  
  
"Yes, Severus, a letter. A letter which contains such information that nobody should ever be forced to maintain it or create it."  
  
"Sir, if it's about my parents, I need to know."  
  
"Severus, do you know what side your parents were on?"  
  
"Yes, they were on our side, your side."  
  
"Yes, they appeared to be that, didn't they?"  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"They are Death Eaters, Severus."  
  
"No, sir, that's impossible. I've watched them. I've watched them ask Aurors on how to protect themselves from that evil lot."  
  
"Yes, I've been asked too, it was all a face. A face that fooled everybody."  
  
Severus bit his bottom lip, waiting what Dumbledore had to say.  
  
"Aurors rushed to the scene, of course, and cursed the Death Eaters that were there. They cursed your parents, with the freezing hex. Of course, another one of them fired the anti one and they escaped. Severus, then, the Aurors again froze them."  
  
"I don't understand this, headmaster, sir."  
  
"Let me finish. They were taken to trial, a quick one, for they were found helping their cause. The Demeters came, and sucked them out, before the wizards could stop them. I'm terribly sorry."  
  
Severus looked down, tears filling up his usual black, yet cheerful, and full of life, eyes; now they looked like cold, dead, dark tunnels.  
  
"Do not be afraid to show your feelings and emotions, Severus, we all are human and humans have emotions. You're not the only one who has lost their family because of this war that is going on, nor will you be the last."  
  
"Professor, who else lost their parents?"  
  
"Severus, I believe for their sakes that it is best that you not know, unless they tell you that, themselves, for I know that I won't tell you who's parents or close family members, and even friends have been lost."  
  
"Well, have you talked to Potter?"  
  
"No, not yet, but I will, soon. I will soon."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Now, who can tell me what you get when you mix 1 ounce of Dragon Blood and 10 strands of Unicorn hair?"  
  
Hermione Granger's head instantly went up, and Draco casually raised his.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Malfoy."  
  
"You get a potion that causes memory loss and the one who brewed it can create a false memory to replace it."  
  
"Correct as usual, take 10 points for Slytherin."  
  
Draco turned around and looked at Hermione, who was studying her book and notes for the next possible question.  
  
"Let's try, Mr. Potter. What do you get when you mix a talon of a dragon, the scale of a snake, and 10 crushed mandrakes?"  
  
Harry looked at Hermione, who was writing down a name of a potion.  
  
"Without, the help of Miss Granger, or should I say, Mrs. Potter?"  
  
Both Hermione and Harry turned red, causing the Slytherins to laugh at them, not only for the usual accident, but the thought of those two married.  
  
"Does anybody know what it is? Mr. Malfoy?"  
  
"It's the ancient Mind-Exchanger potion, or as known as the 'Bewitchment Brew' in the past couple of years."  
  
"Excellent, Mr. Malfoy, 10 more points for Slytherin. Now, everybody read Chapter 12 and I mean read it, not just skim through it, you are dismissed."  
  
In seconds, the Gryffindor side was empty and the Slytherins were casually leaving, all except for one, who was approaching his desk.  
  
"Professor, any more books for me to take out of the restricted section for more background reading?"  
  
"No, not today, Mr. Malfoy, though, I do say next week, you will have quite an interesting amount of books from there."  
  
"Deadly ones?"  
  
"Not all of them, but most of them are time-worthy."  
  
"Did that Advance-Potions book come in yet?"  
  
"No, it'll probably come in tomorrow."  
  
"Tomorrow?"  
  
"I can't make it come today. I don't feel like spending time in Akabazan."  
  
"I was just really looking forward to actually having a challenge to work with."  
  
Severus looked at Draco, one who you would think who would be brain dead, but no. Not this one. He faintly smiled to himself. He taught Draco before he came to Hogwarts. Potions. Potions that even he, himself, couldn't do till he was a 1st year, but he was only 10 years old at the time.  
  
"You think you can handle a challenge?"  
  
"Can you?"  
  
"Well, come down to my lab after dinner and then, you'll see what Advance Potions is all about."  
  
"Right," Draco said and left the classroom, to go to his next class, leaving Severus there shaking his head.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Severus looked at the cauldron, bubbling with poisonous liquid and smirked. Soon, young Draco would be coming down.  
  
What talent he possessed, put Severus in awe. He had taught Draco Potions for the 1st year, to make sure that he would have a hard subject as one of his top ones, but he quickly showed that he didn't need the extra help. He did most of it on his own, which startled Severus to no end. Ever since 4th year, he had been taking Advance Potions, as well as the regular class. Needless to say, that he enjoyed the harder one.  
  
Severus took out his watch again and gazed at it. "Some things just weren't meant to be, love. Just weren't meant to be." The snake on the Slytherin crest hissed as him, as if scolding for his remark.  
  
"Well, it's true. You knew it just as much as I did, but we just didn't listen, and look how we ended up. Why even----" Severus froze as a finger tapped his shoulder.  
  
"Professor, who are you talking to?"  
  
"Eh.I was talking to the potions, they do listen quite well."  
  
"Well, so does a brick wall, but I don't see you talking to them."  
  
"The portraits on the walls would listen in and gossip with each other."  
  
"And the potions won't?"  
  
"Why do you always do this, Mr. Malfoy?"  
  
"It's fun to see you backed into a corner, that's all. You're one of the meanest, hardest, and cruelest professor out there, but I can still back you into a corner."  
  
"Well, I believe that's enough of that now. Did you bring your books?"  
  
"Do I look stupid? Of course I did, a bit hard to read a potion off of it if you don't have the damn things. But the bloody things weigh a bloody ton."  
  
"You think those are heavy? You haven't even seen the ones that I worked out of when I was in 7th year, and then add both Advance Potions and Advance Defense Against the Dark Arts books as well; and then all of the other courses that I was taking. I had the biggest book bag that you've ever seen, one even bigger then that Granger's."  
  
"Now, that's saying something. As long as we're talking about your past.There has been a couple of rumors flying around that I want to know if they're true or not."  
  
"Oh boy, rumors, rumors, and more rumors. What are they this time?"  
  
"Oh, just that you were a Gryffindor, then you have to be re-sorted and then you were put into Slytherin. Then, there was another one, quite a visual tale, about you with McGongall and Sinistra." Snape looked disgusted at the mention of that last remark.  
  
"Then, there was another one that involved you and that bad that lives up in the North Tower, always misty eyed and such."  
  
"What else is there? You're saving the worst for last, aren't you?"  
  
"Now, I'm hurt. Do you think that I take joy in seeing people that I know take injury?"  
  
"You're the one that usually causes the injury."  
  
"Well.Rumor has it that.You have a thing with Dumbledore going on as well as all of those mentioned beforehand."  
  
Severus looked absolutely disgusted at that. "Dumbledore? God, what's next? Me and the Dark Lord?"  
  
"Actually, that was last week's gossip."  
  
"Why me?"  
  
"You take more points off of Gryffindor when you're pissed off."  
  
"True. Who told you all of this? Who knows that?"  
  
"Oh, just the entire castle."  
  
Severus sighed and looked at Draco, only at 5th year, but he looked too much like Lucius, already, and Lucius always looked older then he was in reality, but then, Draco, he looked younger then he was in reality.  
  
He smiled in the memory of his 1st potions lesson with him.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Severus, meet young Draco." Lucius gestured from Severus, who was dressed in very expensive robes, that he bought for this occasion, to a 5 year old Draco, wearing green robes.  
  
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, young Mr. Malfoy," Severus replied, knowing that Lucius wouldn't think too kindly of him using his son's 1st name in his presence, and especially in the introduction.  
  
"Draco, this is Severus Snape. He is the Potions Master at Hogwarts, and a long time friend of mine. He's an excellent potions professor, he taught most of his potions classes when he and I were still in school."  
  
Draco looked up at him he was a bit under 5', with the same pale hair, the nose, and the gray eyes, but he had a certain vibe of innocence surrounding him, which Severus was shocked to see. Considering that he knew the family quite well.  
  
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Snape, I do hope that I become a useful tool for the Dark Lord in the Potions section, like you have been doing."  
  
Snape, who was shocked, looked at Lucius, who was beaming. 'He's only what? 5? Maybe 6? And he already wants to join the Dark Lord?', he thought to himself, in utter confusion.  
  
"Young Mr. Malfoy, may I ask, when will you be starting Hogwarts?"  
  
"The next year, sir, I just turned 10."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Am I the only Professor that is victim of these rumors?"  
  
Draco looked up from his book, which he had been looking at a picture that showed how to take blood from a Unicorn, but without killing it. "Oh no, McGongall looked rather flushed when she heard about them, after your class."  
  
"I hope that you know that she was my professor."  
  
"Whoa, I knew that she was old, but I didn't think that she was that old."  
  
"I'm only 36, which is quite young for a wizard. And to top that, I'm only a child compared to most of the wizarding world."  
  
"And what are they? 1000?"  
  
"Nah, probably in the 150's.."  
  
"I wonder if I'll live that long."  
  
"Who knows with you, but with your history, I dare say, I doubt it."  
  
"Well, my Father is alive."  
  
"That's only because there isn't some strange war going on, and he isn't battling dragons still. And mind you, he's the longest living one so far, that is, if you don't count all of the wives your ancestors had, and the sacrifices they made to keep from dying."  
  
"Ah, the good old days."  
  
"Well, think about those all you want, but you're not going to learn anything reading about the past, other then useless information."  
  
"Can you tell Binns that?"  
  
"Unless you're in Binns class, and that's when it actually is somewhat interesting."  
  
Draco sighed and looked at his professor. "You were in my Father's class, weren't you?"  
  
"His year? Yes, I was; though, we didn't have much of the same classes after 3rd year, when I chose the challenging ones and he chose the pass-or-fail ones."  
  
"Well, it is nice to have some classes where you can sleep through and still pull a nice A."  
  
"But, you don't learn or grow any either."  
  
"Well."  
  
"That's why I signed you up for your classes, instead of letting you. Your Father asked me to do it, so I did. Though, I do say it's was a bit.strange him asking me on which courses for you to take, when they shape you for your future career. But, look at you now. You might as well pre- order your Head-Boy badge already, for you're already a Prefect."  
  
"Well, so is Granger and Potter."  
  
"Oh yes, Potter."  
  
"I will get my badge, right?"  
  
"If I have any say in it, which I do, you will."  
  
"Do I sense a plan in the background?  
  
"To be Head-Boy you have to be able to pull a high A out of all of your classes. The harder the class is, the more points you receive. Potter is in those pass-or-fail classes, and you're in the harder ones. You'll get to be Head-Boy. You will. We haven't had a Slytherin Head-Boy in years now, always those Ravenclaws that get it, and the occasional Hufflepuff or Gryffindor."  
  
"They're wusses.."  
  
"Draco.This is not the time to be discussing house politics. You need to get to work on actually being able to read those texts."  
  
"Yeah, yeah." Draco muttered as he set his book-bag down and pulled out 2 ancient looking books. One was a faded red, with gold, delicate writing on it, which you could just barely make out the title, 'Potions for the Advanced Wizard', of the wear and the age of the old leather cover. The thicker one, which was green, had writing that even a person with better- then-average eyesight would have to squint to be able to read correctly, to see, 'So, you want to be a master of Potions now, do you?' labeled across the green leather cover as well.  
  
"Oh, before I forget.Professor, can I have another pass for the Restricted Section?"  
  
Severus looked up from his cauldron that he was watching, stirring. "What for?"  
  
"I want to read up on some of those.you know.what we talked about.."  
  
"The Amangi?"  
  
"Yeah, that."  
  
"You have to be terribly advanced at Transfiguration for that. Take it one subject at a time."  
  
"McGongall said that it took years to become one. I need to start working on it now."  
  
Severus looked back down at his potion, which had turned from a black to an acid green and was bubbling. 'No, I can not let him do that. I almost died from that experience. Plus, Lucius would have my head if I let him become one, without consulting him about it', he thought to himself.  
  
"I'm sorry, Draco, but no. I can not let you take out that book. Plus, it also has Potions so advanced that would even cause me serious trouble in brewing it correctly."  
  
"You mean.I thought it was just spells, not potions involved."  
  
"Well, sometimes, but the most effective ones are the ones that are made with the potions. The spells sometimes don't work at first, while the potions usually last till you die."  
  
"Well, that's a cheery thought."  
  
"Well, it's true, now get back to your reading."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Severus woke up the next morning, with a splitting headache. Maybe it was from the somebody, most likely a lost or a new house-elf, had opened up one of the few windows and was letting in the bright morning sunlight.  
  
He slowly made his way out of bed and look at the mirror. Something, no, wait.Somebody was behind him.  
  
"Who's there?"  
  
"Really, I just popped in to see how you were doing," an unknown voice replied.  
  
"Who are you? I demand that you show yourself!"  
  
"Don't you recognize me?"  
  
"It's a bit hard to recognize somebody that won't even show themselves."  
  
"Well, what Mum said as true. We do share the same tongue."  
  
"What? What in the bloody hell are you talking about? Is this some sort of sick joke?"  
  
"You don't even remember? I'm you son!"  
  
"I have no son!"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Severus woke up, in his dark chamber. Sweat covered his brow. Nervously, his dark eyes darted around the room, searching for anything out of place. The window was down. Darkness was all around.  
  
"It was just a dream.Just a dream.Don't let yourself get shook up about it.It was just a dream." He muttered to himself as he laid back down, and fell asleep. Come morning, though, he did not remember it at all. 


	2. Illusions

Title: Buried Sorrows 2/????  
  
Author: Jessica C. Malfoy  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Genre: General, Drama  
  
Main Character: Snape  
  
  
  
1 Buried Sorrows  
  
1.1 Chapter 2  
  
  
  
Another day comes, another day goes. Life moves on to new places. New mysteries. New adventures. Thus, the 1st month of their 5th year flew by, and Halloween was rapidly approaching.  
  
Draco Malfoy looked up on the Halloween's Eve, during breakfast in the Great Hall, to see his eagle owl, which he had named Apollo, carrying a parcel, only it didn't drop it off to him, no, he took it to Snape.  
  
He curiously watched for the last time that somebody toughed Apollo, nearly got their eye pecked out, or that's what Pansy claimed that he did.  
  
He turned back to his plate, which obviously Crabbe and Goyle split for only a small part of the plate was left.  
  
"Crabbe.Goyle.Did you take my plate?"  
  
"Uhh.Goyle did it."  
  
"No, it was Crabbe."  
  
This would last for the next couple minutes, after Draco left the table, to go back to the dungeons to get his books for his morning classes, and maybe finish some extra work if time permitted.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Severus looked at the letter, before opening it, as if trying to ask himself, 'What is in this one.Should I even open it?'  
  
He easily recognized the owl, it was Draco's, or to be more exact, Lucius's that he lets Draco borrow all the time.  
  
"Well, what have you here for me? Good news?"  
  
Apollo looked at Snape and hooted, a way only owls could hoot to one another.  
  
"A simple yes or no would have done quite fine."  
  
Apollo ruffled his feathers in either disgust or he had an itch.  
  
Slowly, Snape took off the letter opened it and began to read.  
  
  
  
Dear Severus,  
  
I do hope that this letter actually gets through to you, this time; I've sent several just like before, but I've never received a response, so I do not know what has happened.  
  
I do hope that you're in good health, but this is not a time for me to be playing '20 Wizarding Secrets' with you.  
  
You need to prepare Draco for joining the Dark Lord. I have yet reached a date with Master, for it must be at his convience, as well, Draco needs to be prepared for the challenges of becoming one takes out of you. I daresay, that if he doesn't make it, he'll be terribly disappointed in himself, before he is killed.  
  
I am guessing that since he is over 16 years old, he will be able to handle it alright without any guidance or being warned, but I do not want my name to be shamed; nor do I want to lose my sole heir.  
  
I will come by your fireplace on the 30th of October.  
  
  
  
Severus sighed and re-read the letter. 'He didn't even get the age correct, he's barely 15, and he's thinking that he's over 16. Even I know that, but I've known him for less time that he has as well.'  
  
He looked up at the Great Hall, the students, most still sleepy from just having woken up, to the Slytherin table, which was always loud, unless they were planning something 'big', and it was best that he let them get on with it. He shuddered at the tales that older wizards and witches had told him about what most Slytherins did when they were denied to carry out one of their plans, which they had been planning and such for a while.  
  
But, that hadn't happened in well over 100 years, but then again, you never know.  
  
Sighing, he left the table, to head back to his lab, to try to work on some potions that he'd been neglecting for the past several days, in light of newer ones and the ones that actually did what they were supposed to do.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Draco sighed to himself. This had to be the longest day that could ever exist. As if running into a portrait that insulted him, of all things, wasn't bad enough when he was going to his 1st class, Potions. But, this was one of those old ones that you hardly ever saw. No, this is what looked to be a picture of a couple of the founders.  
  
"Godric! Look! Salazar has broken his binds and is walking among the living!"  
  
"Helga, you know that's not possible.Oh my, Godric! Come and look!"  
  
"Salazar.Draw your sword!"  
  
"I'm not bloody Salazar. And if I was, I'd be ashamed to know the likes of you."  
  
"Then who are you," inquired the one that was wearing a royal blue gown, which showed off her small figure.  
  
"Malfoy, Draco Malfoy that is. Now, I do need to get to class, though, I think Snape wouldn't mind me being a couple of minutes late."  
  
"Malfoy? Helga, isn't that one of the names that Salazar created while he was drunk?"  
  
"Yes, it was, Rowena."  
  
"Hey, my name was not created by some dead wizard, while he was drunk. He might have created it, but not when he was drunk."  
  
"Think that all you like, Malfoy." Godric sneered.  
  
"What a typical Gryffindor."  
  
"Is that what you think, eh? What are you?"  
  
"Need you to ask?"  
  
"Well, yes, he does," Helga piped up.  
  
"Slytherin."  
  
"Well, that explains everything, doesn't it.?"  
  
Draco rolled his eyes as he left for the last corridor that led to Potions. He just hoped that Snape was in there, and that he wouldn't notice him.  
  
Snape didn't notice him, for he was lecturing the class, again, on how if you didn't stir correctly, your potion would backfire and that could end up killing the person who was around it or consumed it in any shape or fashion.  
  
Sighing, he took his usual seat, when he was late. Which just happened to be Snape's desk, however, this was becoming quite a 'usual' site, for he'd did several potions on the desk that would've burned or some thing other then that, to a person who accidentally touched the cauldron, and since he was sitting by Crabbe and Goyle.  
  
Soon, that class was over, and Transfiguration flew by, as did Draco's other potions class, since Professor Sprout was ill and she wouldn't let anybody sub for her, giving them all a free period.  
  
Lunch was pretty much boring, that is, if you didn't count Crabbe and Goyle challenging each other one how who could eat the fastest, and ended up having both in the hospital wing for that result. They did it at least once every two weeks, and they switched. One time Crabbe would win, the next Goyle would, and it kept on going like that and such.  
  
The rest of the day dragged, leaving Draco tired and with lot's of homework, and another lesson with Snape, so that he could get 'twice the amount today, for you're going to need it one day'.  
  
Sighing to himself, he went down to his dormitory, and laid down on his 4-poster, and fell asleep.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Severus walked to his lab and waited. Then, waited some more.  
  
"Draco, where in bloody hell are you?.You, oh bloody hell." Severus cursed as he ran out of the Potions lab and up to the regular level of dungeons. After what felt like a century had passed, he was in the Slytherin Common Room. The cold looking stonewalls, with the occasional patch of moss that had grown from the lake and managed it's way through the pipes and ended up on the wall.  
  
The fire was merrily burning away, it's flames huge, casting shadows on either side, and hitting the chairs and the couches that served as furniture, as well as other things that Severus didn't even want to think about, or what happened on the furniture.  
  
He saw Crabbe and Goyle, sitting in chairs, opposite of each other, with a chair in the middle, which was empty, and he strode over there.  
  
"Mr. Crabbe, Mr. Goyle, where is Mr. Malfoy?"  
  
"I dunno," Crabbe grunted.  
  
"I saw him at.Potions," Goyle added.  
  
"I know, I saw him at potions. Have you two any clue on where he is?"  
  
"Uhh."  
  
"Umm.."  
  
"Never mind, never mind. I'll just have to find him myself."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"You want us to go with you?"  
  
"I said, I was going by myself."  
  
"Oh, I forgot."  
  
Severus could've slapped himself in the forehead for their stupidity. 'Well, like father-like-son.'  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Severus waited outside the Slytherin Common Room the next morning, until a still sleepy eyed Draco came out of the entrance.  
  
"Well, Mr. Malfoy, are you too tired? Do you want to skip some lessons?"  
  
"Can I? For, I feel like crap, and I did not get one wink of sleep."  
  
"You mean, you feel ill because you didn't get any sleep or you feel ill, just because you are ill and you didn't get any sleep because of that?"  
  
"Umm.My brain isn't here right now, so write it down and give it to me later."  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, you were supposed to come down to the lab and work on that that potion that you've been working on."  
  
"I was?"  
  
"Yes, but obviously you made other plans and forgot to tell me about them."  
  
"Well, if you've got to crash, you've got to crash."  
  
"Don't try to use your 'quick-wit' this morning, for I'm defiantly not in the mood for that, nor your excuses why you didn't make it or why you shouldn't be forced to take both potions classes."  
  
"I haven't complained about that one yet."  
  
"Well, looks like you can't now."  
  
By now, they were passing by the very same portrait that had insulted Draco the day before.  
  
In a deep yawn he greeted, "Hello, Rowena, Helga, and Google."  
  
Severus looked at Draco, then at the spot on the wall at which he was talking too. "Draco, who are you talking too?"  
  
"Those founders in the painting. They insulted me yesterday."  
  
"And you say the painting is right here?"  
  
"I'm looking at it."  
  
"Draco.Please follow me, right now."  
  
"Do I have to?"  
  
"Yes, you do."  
  
Severus led Draco up several flights of staircases and through one tapestry that was quite dusty, causing Draco to sneeze for the next 5 minutes.  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
"You will find out when we get there, now, hush, I don't want to be found out."  
  
"Well." Draco started then looked around, this was an unfamiliar part of the castle, that or they did some serious re-decorating over the summer."  
  
"I daresay that you will recognize part of this, when we get to it."  
  
"Well.Can't you at least give me a hint?"  
  
"You'll recognize it when you see it."  
  
"Oh, that helps a lot."  
  
"Think about it." Snape muttered, getting a bit tired of Draco's constant comments, and from all of the walking that they've done, even though, they had barely walked 1/3 of the castle.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Poppy, you sure there is nothing wrong?"  
  
"Yes, I'm sure Severus."  
  
"He's been complaining for a while now, but now.Look at him," he hissed at her, while Draco was laying down on an empty bed, bored, almost too bored to get to sleep.  
  
"Then what do you think is wrong?"  
  
"Obviously something not good."  
  
"Severus, I've already looked at the boy from head to toe. There is nothing wrong with him. He just had a rough night."  
  
"I don't recall having as many bad nights as he did, when I was his age, and I was taking harder courses back then, and I do believe that everybody's lives were a bit more.stressful back then as well."  
  
"Yes, I do remember those times just as clearly as you do, but this is something entirely different. He's just tired. Maybe you've been working him too hard. You should enlist some of those Ravenclaws to assist you with the potions, not your favorite Slytherin."  
  
"He's the top pupil of his year in Potions, he's ahead of the Ravenclaws. Plus, they're quite boring to talk to, and they don't have the ambition to succeed, to see which one will work the fastest and such."  
  
"Severus, really. And you say that other professors prefer the other houses."  
  
"Well, they do. When was the last time that you heard something good about a Slytherin, from another student's mouth, that wasn't in Slytherin, or had family members in there?"  
  
"Well.Oh, Severus, what do you want me to do? Hire a professional to look at him?"  
  
"If you must, yes!"  
  
"You are just over-reacting. You act like you're some.guardian angel of his, Severus! The boy is 15 years old, if he's feeling sick, I do believe that he would've come up here!"  
  
"He was planning on going to classes today, as usual. I'm telling you, he hasn't been himself lately."  
  
"He's a teenager, Severus. They do tend to have 'mood swings', and some of you all still do have them from time to time."  
  
"Poppy, just bring somebody in and let them have a look at him. I know something isn't right with him, I can feel it in my bones."  
  
Poppy looked through the curtains at the now asleep Draco, "Well, he does seem a bit pale, paler then usual that is. I'll have another look at him, and then I'll bring somebody else in. Now, go tend to your classes."  
  
"Notify me at once if you find something or whoever you send for arrives, you got me?"  
  
"Loud and clear, Severus, now do go."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Severus took out his watch again and looked at the time. It had only been 1 hour since he had dropped Draco off at the wing, and still, no word.  
  
The 5th year Gryffindors and Slytherins were busy among themselves, taking advantage of this 'free-day' until, "Every one, take your seats. You are taking a quiz." And groans of disgust came forth from the Gryffindor side of the room.  
  
5 minutes later, there was not one word being spoken by anybody, just the students trying to remember the specific orders, the instructions, the ingredients to all of the potions that they had covered so far, both in the class and what he had assigned for them as 'extra-work', though, only the Slytherins and Granger did those.  
  
Soon, that class was over, and the other half of the 5th years came in, needless to say that they didn't take the quiz. They quietly studied and brewed potions, that were not harmful, or at least, they hoped they weren't harmful.  
  
Needless to say, the time dragged on and on, till the 7th years that decided that they wanted to continue to take the harder potions class was ready. They were demonstrating what happens when you combine 2 very different ingredients, did the research on both of them, and explained why that single reaction occurred.  
  
Lunch arrived, and Severus was as nervous as a 1st year muggle-born was when they put on the Sorting Hat. Finally, he received a note from an incredibly nervous 1st or 2nd year, he couldn't tell which, and didn't have enough patience to remember the name of the child, before he left to go to the wing.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
There was a large amount of nurses, leaving Poppy at the door, filtering who could come in and who would just have to live by the rumors that escaped the walls, and she gestured for Severus to come in.  
  
"Severus, I sent you a note an hour ago, where have you been?"  
  
"An hour? I've just received it 5 minutes ago."  
  
"Oh, those nurses, they probably gave it to one of the patients, instead of Miss Weasley."  
  
"What is wrong?"  
  
"I'll let the Dr. tell you that."  
  
"Oh, brother, that bad?"  
  
"It's certainly not good."  
  
Severus pushed his way through the mass of witches and wizards, till he finally approached the cubicle that enclosed Draco from the outside world. "Let me through, let me through." He demanded, waiting for the doors to be opened so that he could enter and see what had happened.  
  
A short medi-wizard, only 5' in height, opened up and looked up at Snape. "And who might you be? Another one of those students that want to take advantage of the ones that are not in the best position to defend themselves?"  
  
"I am Severus Snape, the Potions Master, as well as the Head of his house. I'm the one that brought him here, and I demand to know what the hell is going on."  
  
"Well, yes, of course, Mr. Snape, we've been expecting you, but not you.Eh.Do come in." The wizard moved aside and Snape entered, to discover that the cubicle had been magically enlarged on the inside; the wizard motioned for Snape to sit down, which he slowly did.  
  
"What is wrong with him?"  
  
"Mr. Snape, your pupil has several powerful, and very well concealed magical bonds and what we believe memory charms performed on him. Very powerful, but we're still not sure what exactly it is, what it's about, and who cast it and when.  
  
"As well as that, something is wrong with his immune system, it's very, very weak. We've performed strengthening charms and the likes, but the potions would probably do him better."  
  
Snape nod and was deep in thought. "Is there anything else?"  
  
"Not at the time, but then again, we're really busy as it is. But I do need to ask you one thing, what happened this morning?"  
  
"I was talking to him when he left for the Great Hall, for you see; he missed his Advance Potions lesson with me and nobody could find him, or that is, the Slytherins that were in the Slytherin Common Room. He then went on saying how he didn't get enough sleep and that he did not feel his best."  
  
"I see. Anything else?"  
  
Snape paused in thought, debating over if he should tell that Draco was talking to figures of a picture that didn't even exist.  
  
"No, nothing else. When do you think he'll be released? For, I do need to owl his parents."  
  
"Oh yes, well, you best leave that up to us, so that we can go into fine detail on what will be done and so forth."  
  
".May I see him?"  
  
"Of course, of course. How long have you known the boy?"  
  
"His entire life."  
  
"Are you his god-father?"  
  
"I wasn't made it, but I'm a close friend of his family. I went to school with his parents, so that's how."  
  
"That's very nice how you all kept in touch after graduation. Now, if you step this way, now, I do ask that you don't touch him, in fear of spreading germs from one place to another."  
  
Snape sighed and got up, and didn't wait for the wizard to direct him to the bed, instead, he just walked straight. He was on Draco's left side. He looked a bit pale, his eyes were closed, you'd think he'd be dead if you didn't listen closely and watch his chest slowly raise, then slowly fall back down. He had sparks going over him, recording the statistics of it, for future use.  
  
The wizard followed Snape, and said, "Try talking to him, it might give us some good brain waves, to determine what exactly happened and so forth."  
  
"Why can't you talk to him?" Snape inquired, but then, the sparks were a bit more solid in color as they shot from on side to the other and recorded themselves on it's sheet of parchment.  
  
"That's why. We've all tried talking and we didn't get a response, but you however, you just did, and that's the most brain activity that we've recorded for him this entire time."  
  
"Well.Some things are just best left up to those who know each other, then ones that are new to them."  
  
"What does that mean?"  
  
"Nothing," Snape said as he left the cubicle and stopped Poppy, as she was cleaning out bedpans in a far corner.  
  
"Poppy, I want you to let me know when all of those medi-freaks are gone, and keep an eye on them. I'm surprised they haven't started poking him with needles and such."  
  
"I will Severus."  
  
"And use somebody who will be able to find me soon, and that's under an hour."  
  
"Okay, Severus, now go and brew a potion or something of the sort."  
  
Severus sighed as he left, leaving Poppy cleaning the pans and the nurses and the other wizards going in an out of the cubicles.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Dumbledore was waiting outside the infirmary, "How is he?"  
  
"Not good sir, I'm afraid."  
  
"Pity, really. Just before Halloween, and this year is supposedly one of the best ones that I've planned."  
  
"What are we having this year?"  
  
"Another ball."  
  
Snape raised an eyebrow. "Do the students know about this?"  
  
"No, it's one of those costume balls, where you dress up in costumes. I figured since they probably won't be able to figure out who is who, they might not as well know that there is one, till tomorrow at lunch."  
  
"But, why another ball?"  
  
"Are you saying that you don't like the balls, Severus?"  
  
"I prefer to stay in my lab, trying to figure out a potion that could save somebody, instead of playing chaperone at some teenage school party that I am only informed of a day before hand."  
  
"Where's your sense of fun?"  
  
"You know where that is, as do I."  
  
"Really, Severus. It's not your fault. Sometimes, fate is cruel and harsh, but then, did you enjoy that brief time period?"  
  
"Well, yes.But I'll never have it again. And then, it was robbed from me, and I wasn't even there to say good-bye."  
  
Dumbledore patted Severus's back as they began to walk down the corridor. "You've never have let that go have you?"  
  
"I don't think I ever will. The one time that I was happy, and then, it's gone. As if losing my parents weren't a harsh enough blow as it was."  
  
"Now, you must focus on the present. Maybe one day, you'll be able to prevent heartbreak, by using your brains and create something that will prevent it."  
  
"Maybe, headmaster, maybe one day." 


	3. Ancient Magic+Greed=Mess

Title: Buried Sorrows (3/???????)

Author: Jessica C. Malfoy

E-mail: JessicaCMalfoy@aol.com

Genre: General, Drama

Main Characters: Severus Snape

Spoilers: All Books

Disclaimer: I do not own HP or anything associated, unless I bought it from a store…

**Buried Sorrows**

Chapter 3 

                Severus looked at Dumbledore, again, mainly in shock and disbelief. "You think that maybe one day…I'll be able to…stop things like that from happening?"

                The old headmaster, eyes twinkling in the dark room, gave a small chuckle. "Yes, I do, and you should too. You have what it takes, I see nothing stopping you."

                Severus shook his head, due to the fact that he wanted those walls to fall out of his ears so that he can stomp on them and imprint them on the floor and that he knew that something else was going to happen. 

                "Well, I can think of a couple of things that could stop me. Plenty of them, as a matter of fact."

                "Like what, Severus? You have everything you need, except a lab assistant, but that shouldn't be too hard to fine, now? I'm sure that there would be some Ravenclaws that would love to assist you in making and experimenting with new potions." 

                "Not being able to invent them, for the 1st matter, and others as well. Plus, having to stop for 'business' reasons, and not knowing how long I'll be gone, or even if I'll be able to come back, also adds to that…list of mine." Severus paused, searching for one more reason that would prove that **he** was right, not that muggle loving fool.

                "And…who would want to test something that could kill them," Severus added with a smirk, knowing that Dumbledore wouldn't even dare to think of risking student lives on purpose.

                The old headmaster merely shook his head, causing his beard to slightly sway back and forth, like an old clock. "There are always risks involved in everything that a person does in the journey of life."

                Severus mentally slapped himself, now he was going to get a lecture about 'The journey of life', for the millionth time. One that he had heard so many times in his short life span, 36 years, that he knew it by heart, but that didn't mean that he could repeat it with…feeling.

                "No, of course not, Headmaster," Snape replied, reluctantly.

                "I thought so, now, for the real thing that I came here for," at this Severus let out a sigh of relief that caused Dumbledore to pause and send him a 'What?' look, "now, that doesn't mean that one day that I won't come to talk to you about."

                Severus was getting irritated, as if chaos in his own house wasn't bad enough, now he had to deal with this. Why couldn't he get some peace and quiet, for one night? 

                "Then, why did you come here?"

                "To check on you." Severus mentally slapped himself again. He could've guessed a better answer then…that. But, Dumbledore continued, either oblivious of Severus' reaction or just ignoring him. Either way, it would have been hard to miss. "I'm sure that you remember the date perfectly well enough. I thought that if you wanted too, you and I could have a little chat."

                "I'm sorry, Headmaster, I don't seem to know what you're talking about," Snape lied through his teeth. He had always been a horrible liar, or to Dumbledore that is. Now to others that were younger then him or he grew up with, that was a different story. But all the same, he rubbed his arm, as if there was an itch on it that just would not disappear.

                "Severus, you know the exact thing I'm talking about."

                "Oh, that thing…"

                "Yes, that one."

                "I'm fine. Perfectly fine. Couldn't be better," again he lied, hoping that Dumbledore wouldn't notice the worry in his voice and that it wasn't as…deep as it usually was.

                "Are you just saying that?"

                Severus tried to look serious, "No, I'm not."

                "So, you're not hiding anything from me?"

                "Nope."

                "Well, I guess we're on the same page then, aren't we?"

                Severus nodded, "I presume so."

                Dumbledore paused for a second and looked over Severus. The young, hopeful, and energetic boy, full of promise, could not be the one standing before him, which seemed older then beyond his years, dull, almost lifeless most of the time. 

                "How is Mr. Malfoy, by the way?"

                Severus' dark brown eyes darkened, like they always did when he was upset or annoyed. "Not good, sir, not good at all."

                "Have they at least figured something out?"

                "They believe it's that his immune system is acting up again and that he has some very strong, maybe too strong, memory charms on him, and now, they're effecting him."

                Dumbledore paused in thought, taking all of what he said, and storing it for future references. "Any leads of some sort?"

                "They're not even sure if that's, the memory charms, is the one that is causing the problems. But, they do know that his immune system is weakening by the day."

                "Pity that it had to happen before we all got settled back into the school schedule."

                "Pity it had to have happened at all," Severus said, with a note of finality in his voice, as if he didn't want to talk about this subject any longer.

                "Quite, quite. Now, I do hope that you have already owled Mr. Malfoy about his son, correct?"

                "The medi-wizard insisted on him doing it, himself. He said he had to 'explain' some things, which I find out of the question. There is nothing to explain, other then, how he became a 'professional'. 

                "Severus," Dumbledore's tone had a warning attached to it, "he knows what he's talking about. This is what he does for a living, just like you make potions and teach them. Besides, I'm sure that he knows what he's talking about."

                "Unless it's Black magic."

                "Nobody at Hogwarts can perform that type of magic. It just isn't allowed."

                Severus looked back over his shoulder towards the infirmary door, which was growing smaller with every single stride, and then sighed. "I do need to attend to my classes, I dare say, the labs will be utter chaos until I return and straighten things out."

                "No need for that, Severus, Minerva is filling in for you." Dumbledore said, carelessly.

                Severus stopped dead, "Then, I am mistaken, it will be utter chaos then. You remember the last time that she filled in for me? Filch said that it was the worst mess that he ever seen, in all of his years living with us wizards and witches."

                "Well, I don't believe that I want to ask why you haven't volunteered to fill in for a couple of her classes. It wasn't your best subject, but you still had it pretty easy."

                "Not after that last time that I received 'help' from Potter and his gang. No, after that, I was a complete mess."

                "Well, I must say that what they did was not what I had expected for them to do, especially after that long talk I had with them."

                "That was them alright. Always going against rules, no matter what the cost."

                "You did break a couple of rules, if I remember correctly."

                "I was the highest saint, the Metatron, even!"

                "They did get in quite a lot of trouble, but not that much, Severus."

                "No, it was just every other day, not everyday; just every other day." Severus looked down, towards the stairwell that held the quickest route, from his current location, to his dungeons. 

                "I do need to get back down there, Headmaster," Severus muttered as he left, and went down the stairwell, and headed towards the dungeon that served as his classroom, hoping that the dungeons would still be standing, by itself, without any substance, that was supposed to be a potion, holding it together.

**********************************************

                Poppy made her way back into the cubicle, and looked at the now smaller group of wizards and witches.

                "Have you sent the owl yet?"

                "No, I thought you were doing it."

                "No, you told me that you were going to do it."

                "I said no such thing, but do hurry and get it down. I don't want to deal with an angry Mr. Malfoy."

                A witch, slender with short blond hair, left the cubicle, muttering about forgetful males and the likes.

                "Any news?"

                "None, Poppy, none what so ever. It's quire frustrating, really. To finally run into something that you can't fix or even diagnosis for that matter."

                "Oh, I do know how that feels. Will they try to bring him around soon?"

                "I don't know. Maybe, if they do, we might see something that could help us find out what the bloody hell he got himself into too."

                "Maybe this is some sort of prank or something of the sort that Severus pulled to see if we can fix something that one of his potions could do to somebody if they weren't careful."

                "That…hooked nose bloke?"

                "The one and only."

                "He doesn't look to be the prank-pulling type, if you ask me."

                "I know, but he has been inventing some potions for quite some time now. Maybe he finally made one that he couldn't fix, himself."

                "Really?"

                "He is quite useful to have around when you need a potion brewed."

                "It's also the ones like him that cause such things like this too happen."

                "Oh, I doubt that really. I don't think that he did this on purpose, that is, if he did it. He is quite fond of Mr. Malfoy, over there."

                "You can't let personal feelings get in the way of making the right decision."

                "True, but sometimes you have to---" Poppy stopped, and watched in awe as the medi-wizard took out his wand and motioned everyone back.

                "Everyone, stand back! Get back! This is an order!" He waved his arms and pulled up his sleeves, as if he was fixing to beat the cause of the illness out in a hand-to-hand fight.

                He took in a deep breath and started waving his wand around, in a figure-8 motion. "With the power in the skies, in the ground, in the stars! And in the mind of the one in the pain, I summon the magic of the old time, of our ancestors to help us in this time of need!" A strange white glow, which looked like snow falling on him from a few feet away, came out of the wand, making it glow, as if it alone held the power to change everything.

                The wizard, to whom Poppy had been talking to, looked over at her. "Ancient magic. Last time, it killed one of our number, when he tried to stop it. Quite nasty, powerful, but still, nasty."

                Poppy weakly nodded in agreement and her gaze returned to the medi-wizard.

                "Soon, the one here in the peril will need your strength! Aid us in correcting all that is wrong!"

                Nothing happened; the wizard paled and laughed nervously. 

                He repeated himself, and nothing happened, again. His wand began to violently shake as he made his 3rd attempt, and the witches screamed in fright, while the wizards began to usher, more like shoving, everyone out of the cubicle. 

                Poppy was the last one out before a sickening thud sounded against the wall of the cubicle wall, and she covered her head.

                The stench of blood and flesh was now the strongest thing you could smell in the large room.

                "He…He was not worthy, nor was he…pure enough," another wizard told another, as they shakily got back up and closed the cubicle. 

                Poppy turned back to the wizard, "What happened?"

                "This is what happens when somebody tries to control ancient magic and they're not meant to take it."

                "But, what exactly happened?"

                "The magic blew him apart, from the inside out."

                Poppy shuddered at the thought of the body parts and all of it's parts laying out for the world to see, on her clean white floor, that was kept so clean and nice all the time.

                "What are you all to do now?"

                "There's not much that we can do, Poppy, I hate to say that, but it's true."

                "Well, what can you do?"

                "Hope that there is somebody that can control it and find him or her in a hurry. For, who knows how much time he has left to live, before he is taken."

                Harry Potter and his all-time friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger walked into the Great Hall, for lunch, just like everybody else in the castle was doing, that is, if they weren't blown apart or attending to other matters.

                There were several things that stood out to every single student in the room. Snape wasn't sending murderous looks to any of the tables, the Gryffindors especially; instead, he was just picking at his food. Dumbledore seemed to pity him, for he was sitting next to him, attempting to make conversation, with no such luck.  In addition to all of that, Malfoy was still missing from the Slytherin table. Everybody else was in their usual spot, Crabbe and Goyle sitting on either side of the vacant spot at the head of the table, eating like they always did. 

                Harry pointed this out to both Ron and Hermione, and they both nodded.

                "I know this has to be the greatest day of my entire life! Snape upset and Malfoy gone! Somebody, pinch me to!"

                At this, both Harry and Hermione pinched Ron, causing him to rub his arm, "I didn't mean, literally."

                "Well, Ron something serious could be actually be wrong for all that we know."

                "That'd only make it greater, right, Harry?"

                Harry paused as he sat down, to be joined on either side by both of them, and then replied, "Well, I don't know. It wouldn't be as fun trashing Slytherin in Quidditch if Malfoy wasn't there, so that I could see the look on his face when I catch the snitch."

                "Yeah, that look is absolutely priceless."

                "We could take a picture of it."

                "Harry! I knew I could hear something like that out of Ron, but you," Hermione almost shrieked.

                "Why not me?"

                "And why me?"

                "Oh really, you two. Don't you think that I know you all better then you know yourselves?"

                "I hope you don't," Ron said as he helped himself to some potatoes.

                "Really, you do need to think before you say something. What if Malfoy was standing right behind you when you said that? What do you think would've happened?"

                "Bu the point is, that it didn't happen."

                "Really, you worry too much. At this rate, you're going to look like McGongall before you're 20," Harry added.

                "I am not. I'd be surprised if you two didn't find some way to get yourselves killed by some beast of Hagrid's or some stupid prank that you decided to pull, without my advice."

                "I think that is considered a threat."

                "Think that all you like, but I'm not going to be part of one that will get me killed."

                "Or like you said in our first year," Ron started then said in a girly, high, voice, "'I'm going to go to bed before either of you think of a way to get us killed, or worse, expelled.'"

                Ron grinned at his impersonation, and got a face full of pumpkin juice that he did not ask for as a reply.

                "Well, it's only lunch and you two are already at it," Harry said as he looked over at the dripping Ron and the glaring Hermione.

                "Oh, that so, Mr. Potter," Hermione tried to impersonate Snape, but only ending up sounding like a frog, which sent Ron and Harry gasping for air as they laughed.

                "Well, I think it was a good for a 1st attempt," Hermione said, in her own defense.

                "Well, it wasn't a really good job, that is, if you meant to be serious."

                "Oh, speaking of that Harry," Ron began as he ate some of his liver and pudding, "have you heard from Snuffles lately?"

                "No, I owled him several times, with different owls each time and he hasn't responded yet."

                "Really, you two. He's really busy these days. It's not like he's still living in that cave with nothing else to do."

                "He could be, for…"

                "For what, Ron?"

                "I have no clue, you were supposed to finish that, Hermione."

                Hermione sighed and finished her lunch, occasionally casting a look around the great hall and the other tables.

                Soon, the ever-eventful lunch was over and the afternoon classes were soon to began.

                Lucius Malfoy looked up from his paper, 'The Informative Owl', to see, in the reflection of a mirror, one of the fireplaces shoot up and then something land in front of it.

                "Go and get that," Lucius said to Narcissa as an order. It was probably for her, most likely one of those home-delivery services that delivered robes and such.

                He was right in the middle of one of his favorite columns, which he had missed for a year or so when it disappear.

           I Has the Boy-Who-Lived turned into the Boy-Who-Betrayed-Us?

                As a special correspondent for the Daily Prophet, I heard several nasty rumors like the one mentioned above in several popular local pubs, both filled with witches and wizards alike. Several reckon that he has already joined He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's ranks, but then again, some insist that he's only waiting till he graduates out of Hogwarts to join him and the Death Eaters, followers of the Dark Lord. 

                We might…./I

                Lucius looked up, to see what was blocking his light, and saw Narcissa. 

                "What?"

                "A letter. It's for you."

                Lucius paused for a moment, then folded up the paper, and adding a note to himself that he needed to finish reading that column about that Potter brat.

                "Who's it from?"

                "It doesn't have a seal on the back."

                "Burn it then," Lucius said, opening up his newspaper again.

                "It has 'Urgent: Life or Death' stamped on the front."

                "Where is it?"

                Narcissa handed over an envelope, one that looked a bit battered from its journey, for some of the corners looked a bit burnt. 

                He immediately noticed how light it felt, nothing like the usual mail he received. But then again, his usual mail came on owls, not through his fancy fireplace.

                He opened it and skimmed it, drawing his eyebrows together as he grew nearer and nearer, he didn't even finish it, before he stood abruptly up.

                "I've got to go and take care of some business. Look after everything while I'm gone."

                "How long do you think you're going to be gone?"

                "When I get back, we'll both know." Lucius answered shortly and motioned for one of the house elves to gather his bag and bring it to him.

                A couple minutes later, 2 house elves carried the heavy bag and didn't even get noticed when Lucius picked up the bag, for they scurried back into hiding.

                Narcissa looked down at the floor, then back up at Lucius. With no signs of aging since his earlier thirties (he and Severus were in the same year) , and with the same boyish nature, though he was loathe to admit it. Occasionally, he did act like the wild party animal that he was after he graduated Hogwarts. Not that she would know. Of course not. He was 5 years older then her.

                She faintly recalled him during her 1st and 2nd years at Hogwarts, and she doubted that he was very happy knowing that he would wed a girl that was quite a bit younger then him, or at least, when you were 22, 5 years seemed a bit more then average. Their parents had set it up, for Narcissa's family, Moon, was another old wizarding family that only had 1 child, her, at the time of the arranged marriage and they wanted to make sure that she would wed and produce an heir.

                Her father did have a son, Thomas, and he did have an heir as well. Well, that is, if you counted a girl as an heir to land and such, not that there was much of the Moon estate left for her to inherit.

                Lucius had walked out of the dining hall, and turned into the corridor that led to the 'entrance' pad. (Several generations back, the Malfoys had been very paranoid and put anit-appariting charms all over the estate) Cursing to himself about letting a soft git like Severus watch out for his only heir, or the only one that he knew about.

                He led himself into the newly attached room and disapparated, to Hogsmeade.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

                He arrived outside the Leaky Cauldron, and went inside.

                "Good afternoon, sir."

                "I'm checking in for…the next couple of nights. If there is a change of plans, I'll send you an owl and I want my baggage, immediately."

                "Yes, sir." The clerk at the desk said and looked through a couple of drawers. "Your usual room, sir?"

                "Yes," Lucius said irritably, "my usual room."

                "I'm sorry sir, but I don't have anything labeled as your usual. What is your name?"

                "Lucius Malfoy."

                The clerk paused for a second, obviously wondering why she didn't recognize him and then shrugged. "Of course, Mr. Malfoy," she said, promptly, and handed over the keys to his room, Suite 7S. And motioned for a house elf to carry it out.

                Outside, the sun was rapidly setting, and darkness was covering everything in sight. A cool gust of wind, mainly for it was coming out of the north, started to blow, causing lanterns that were outside to flicker with it. He had always preferred the coolness of the night. Maybe it was due to the fact that as a boy, he enjoyed playing in the dungeons, and then lived in the dungeons all during his years at Hogwarts, as a Slytherin.

                He got inside a carriage and rode to Hogwarts, where he was going to have to change a couple of things and might have to dispose of a couple things as well.


End file.
